Dog-friendly pubs in Sydney

Nothing says 'who's a good boy' quite like a lush beer garden and a big silver bowlful of water. So, to treat yourself and your pooch, we've compiled a list of the most dog-friendly pubs in Sydney. Bonus points: even if you don't own a hound, you're likely to run into a few of them at these joints. So if you're desperate for a bit of canine bonding, it's worth fetching up empty leashed to play with other people's pets.

The most dog friendly pubs in Sydney

There’s a lot of reasons to like this Paddo pub, but right at the top of our list is their burger that boasts a beef patty with cheddar melted on top that comes secured in a well-toasted sesame seed bun with rocket, caramelised onion relish, a smoky savoury tomato relish and a swirl of béarnaise sauce that takes this humble burger from rags to riches. And if you’re rolling with your four-legged friend that’s no problem, they are welcome in the pub, which is great for winter when you both want to come in out of the cold.

The beautiful thing about this old boozer is that it’s a pub designed to facilitate a good time on your terms. Want to sit up at the bar with a huge plate of fish and chips and watch back-to-back AFL games? This is the best place for it. Prefer to sink your tip money in pinball machines while you annihilate jugs of Stone and Wood Pacific Ale and Young Henrys Newtowner? Right this way. They’ve even got two separate outdoor areas so that smokers and diners can both enjoy the sunshine, and they let you bring your dog (on a lead) or kid (no lead required, probably).

Merivale’s latest mega-pub renovation has resulted in some weekend hang times that somehow manage to be chic, child-friendly and dog-friendly. You’ll want to dress up a little for an afternoon here – and get in early for any shot at a table –and it might be worth breaking out that snazzy new collar for your drinking buddy, because the calibre of dogs here leans towards designer. There’s plenty of outdoor space but it’s also very busy so make sure your pal is cool with crowds and not the sort to steal your hard won porchetta off your plate – it’s too delicious to share.

Although the beer garden in this historic hotel is more blue ribbon than blue collar (hope that bright yellow Veuve Cliquot umbrella is keeping the sun off) it’s still a local-friendly hotel where you can drink a bone dry French rosé from Domaine Saint Anne or a frosty pale ale with your dog by your heels. Keep in mind this place has a late license and isn’t averse to some party times so after 9.30pm your furry mate will need to head home.

The Henson Park Hotel was for many years an abandoned, rotting shell of a pub hidden in the backstreets of Marrickville. But with one hell of a refurb it's now one of the most family-friendly watering holes in the Inner West. And where you find families packing out the beer garden for lamb shank shepherd’s pies and a karaage chicken burger, you’ll also find a whole parade of pooches kicking back in the sunshine and hoping you drop some scraps their way.

This old Petersham boozer has spruced up the beer garden, turfed the TAB and reworked their food offering to be a lot more friendly to families, little humans and people making better life choices. Sadly there’s no doggie treats on there, but you sure can bring your friend for life with you when you pop in for a pizza and a craft brew, but if you’re dog isn’t cool with felines here’s a word of warning: the pub has a resident cat called Gizmo whose rightful place is by the indoor fire so it might be best to keep them well separate.

In a leafy pocket of Ultimo you’ll find this old timer that strikes a comfortable balance between the old ways and the new. Traditional pub fixings still have pride of place in the public bar and while there’s no beer garden, they have co-opted an outdoor section of the neighbouring park for alfresco beers and a Sunday barbecue each week. All of this adds up to a dog-friendly watering hole where as long as you’re furry friend is compact and well behaved you can hang at the bar our out in the sun and enjoy your cheeseburger from the bistro out the back.